# List of University of Missouri alumni

This is a list of notable alumni of the University of Missouri in Columbia, Missouri.

## Academia

* Thomas Swain Barclay (BA 2015, ΒΘΠ), professor of political science at Stanford University
* George E. Bates (B.A., M.A.), professor of Investment Management at the Harvard Business School; editor of the Harvard Business Review
* Thomas Curtright (B.S. 1970, M.S. 1970), professor of Physics at University of Miami
* Walter Dandy (B.S. 1907), professor of Medicine at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine; considered a founding father of modern neurosurgery.
* Clifton C. Edom (BJ 1946), Mizzou photojournalism professor and co-founder of Pictures of the Year, Missouri Photo Workshop, and Kappa Alpha Mu
* Robert P. Foster (M.A., Ph.D.), president of Northwest Missouri State University (1964–1977)
* Robert J. Jones (PhD 1978), chancellor at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and former president at the University of Albany
* Matthew Kroenig (BA), associate professor of Government and Foreign Service at Georgetown University
* Uel W. Lamkin (attended), president of Northwest Missouri State University (1921–1945)
* Anderson Delano Macklin (1933–2001), visual artist, professor, art historian
* John C. McManus (PhD), military historian, author, and professor of military history at the Missouri University of Science and Technology
* Susan Morey (BS 1990), professor and chair of the Mathematics department at Texas State University
* Francis Joseph Mullin, president of Shimer College
* Velma McBride Murry, psychologist and sociologist at Vanderbilt University
* Donald E. Pease (BA 1968, MA 1969), professor of English and Comparative Literature at Dartmouth College
* Mark Pope (AB 1973, MEd 1974), Thomas Jefferson professor & Curators' Distinguished professor Emeritus of counseling at University of Missouri-St. Louis, president of the American Counseling Association (2003–2004)
* Henry P. Rusk (BS 1908, MA 1911), dean of the College of Agriculture at the University of Illinois
* Ritch Savin-Williams (BA 1971), professor of developmental psychology at Cornell University; prolific sexual orientation researcher
* Mohammad Shahidehpour, Carl Bodine Distinguished professor and chairman in the Electrical and Computer Engineering Department at Illinois Institute of Technology
* Mason Vaugh (BS 1919, B.Eng 1921), founder and Head of the Department of Agricultural Engineering in Allahabad Agricultural Institute
* Lawrence Walkup (MA 1942, PhD 1948), president of Northern Arizona University
* Todd Whitaker (BS 1981, M.Ed. 1985, PhD 1992), professor of Educational Leadership, Indiana State University

## Art

* Betty Scarpino, wood sculptor
* Albert Schweitzer, cartoonist for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch
* Brendan Smialowski, photographer and photojournalist
* Mort Walker (BA 1948, ΚΣ), cartoonist; a life-sized bronze statue of his creation Beetle Bailey sits in front of alumni center

## Business

* Andrew Cherng (MS 1972), founder of Panda Express and chairman of Panda Restaurant Group
* Alan C. Greenberg (BS BA 1949, ZBT), chairman, Bear Stearns Companies
* Edward D. "Ted" Jones (1947), managing partner of Edward Jones Investments
* R. Crosby Kemper (AB 1914, ΒΘΠ), former President and chairman, United Missouri Bancshares
* R. Crosby Kemper, Jr. (AB 1949, ΒΘΠ), former President and chairman, United Missouri Bancshares
* Richard Kinder (BA 1966, JD 1968, ΣΝ, QEBH), chairman and CEO of Kinder Morgan; former President of Enron; net worth of $10.2 billion; #39 on 2013 Forbes 400 list of richest Americans
* E. Stanley Kroenke (BS BA 1971, MBA 1973), chairman of THF Realty; owner of NBA's Denver Nuggets and NHL's Colorado Avalanche; co-owner of NFL's Los Angeles Rams; majority shareholder Arsenal FC; net worth of $3.5 billion, tied for #105 on 2008 Forbes 400 list of richest Americans
* Kenneth Lay (BA 1964, MA 1965, ΒΘΠ, ΟΔΚ, ΦΒΚ), former CEO of Enron
* Harry J. Lloyd (BJ 1950, TKE), founder of House of Lloyd and the upscale Loch Lloyd village and country club near Kansas City
* David C. Novak (BJ 1974, ΔΥ), chairman, CEO, and President, Yum! Brands, Inc.
* Rodger O. Riney (BS CiE 1968, MBA 1969, XE), founder of a brokerage firm
* Matthew K. Rose (BS BA 1981, ΛΧΑ), chairman, CEO, and President, Burlington Northern Santa Fe
* Roger Straus (1917–2004), co-founder and chairman of Farrar, Straus and Giroux
* Samuel M. Walton (BA 1940, ΒΘΠ, QEBH), founder of Walmart

## Entertainment and television

* John Anderson (BJ 1987), ESPN SportsCenter host
* Tom Berenger, actor, Major League, The Big Chill, Platoon
* Linda Bloodworth-Thomason, writer and television producer
* Neal E. Boyd (BA 2001), opera singer; winner of America's Got Talent in 2008
* Brent Briscoe MU 1984, actor
* Kate Capshaw (BS 1975, MEd 1977, ΑΔΠ), actress, Willie Scott in Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom
* Jann Carl (BJ 1982, ΚΚΓ), television personality, Entertainment Tonight
* Papa Joe Chevalier, host of nationally syndicated Papa Joe Show on the Sporting News Radio Network until 2005
* Sophia Choi, television anchor at CNN Headline News
* Chris Cooper (BGS 1976), Academy Award-winning actor, Adaptation
* Candice Crawford (BJ 2009, ΠΒΦ), Miss Missouri and Miss USA finalist; reporter for KDAF-TV
* Sheryl Crow (BS Ed 1984, ΚΑΘ, ΟΔΚ, SAI), musician, singer-songwriter
* Kelly Crull, sports anchor and reporter, Fox Sports South
* Hope Driskill (BA 2012, ΧΩ), Survivor: Caramoan, Miss Missouri USA 2011 and Miss USA Top 16 finalist
* Dave Fogel (ΣΧ), radio disc jockey
* Jason Forbach (BM 2000), actor, singer, playwright and filmmaker
* Martin Frost (BJ 1964, ZBT), political commentator, Fox News Channel
* Major Garrett (BJ 1984), national correspondent, Fox News Channel
* Heidi Gardner (never graduated), actress, Saturday Night Live
* Mike Hall, first winner of ESPN Dream Job series
* Jon Hamm (BA 1993), actor, Don Draper of AMC's Mad Men
* Tom Hart, play-by-play commentator for SEC Network and ESPN
* Sarah Hollins (BA 2013), Miss Nebraska USA 2016, TV personality
* Juliet Huddy, Fox News Channel host
* Jeffrey Crawford Jones, radio host
* Michael Kim, ESPNEWS host
* David Koechner, actor, Todd Packer of The Office, Champ Kind of Anchorman
* Jim Lehrer (ΣΔΧ award), PBS news anchor
* David Limbaugh (BA 1975, JD 1978), political commentator and author
* Robert Loggia (BJ 1951 ΑΣΦ), actor, Jagged Edge, Big, Scarface, The Sopranos
* Robin Luke (PhD Business Administration and Marketing), a 1950s pop music singer known for the 1958 hit "Susie Darlin"; professor and department head, Marketing Department, Missouri State University
* Andrea Mackris, Fox News television producer
* Richard Matheson (BJ 1949, ΦΜΑ), screenwriter, author of I Am Legend, The Shrinking Man, What Dreams May Come
* Joel Meyers, sportscaster
* Greg Miller (BJ 2005), IGN cast member, host of Up at Noon, co-founder of Kinda Funny
* Russ Mitchell (BJ 1982), weekend anchor, CBS Evening News
* Jonathan Murray (BJ 1977), executive producer and co-creator of MTV's The Real World
* Lisa Myers (BJ 1973), television journalist, former senior investigative correspondent, NBC News
* Brad Pitt (ΣΧ, Journalism School, remains one credit short of graduation), actor and producer
* Elle Reeve (BJ 2005), correspondent for Vice News
* Chuck Roberts (BJ 1971), CNN news anchor
* SallyAnn Salsano, producer and creator of reality television shows for MTV including Jersey Shore
* Ed Sanders (dropout 1958), lead singer of the Fugs, social activist, author
* George C. Scott, Academy Award-winning actor, Patton, Dr. Strangelove, The Hustler, Anatomy of a Murder
* Jon Scott, Fox News Channel anchor
* Brad Sham (BJ 1970, ΑΕΠ), Dallas Cowboys Radio Network host
* Beatriz Sheridan, Mexican telenovela producer/director noted for Televisa
* Bob Sullivan, author and founding member of MSNBC
* Wright Thompson, ESPN senior writer
* Debbye Turner (DVM 1991), Miss America
* Elizabeth Vargas (BJ 1984), former ABC News anchor/correspondent and 20/20 co-anchor
* Matt Winer (BJ 1991, ΠΚΑ), ESPN SportsCenter host
* Ying Da, actor and director
* Nick Young, CBS radio news anchor

## Law

* John R. Gibson (BA 1949, JD 1952, TKE, QEBH, ΟΔΚ, ΦΒΚ), Senior Judge, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit
* Stephen N. Limbaugh Sr. (1951 ΒΘΠ), U.S. Federal District Court judge; former president of the Missouri Bar Association
* Kimbrough Stone (1895, ΒΘΠ), judge of the U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, Eighth Circuit
* Robert Barr Todd, Justice of the Louisiana Supreme Court
* Kathleen Zellner, attorney

## Literature and journalism

* Lori Borgman, nationally distributed columnist, author and speaker
* Gerald M. Boyd, former Managing Editor of The New York Times
* Russ Buettner, Pulitzer Prize-winning investigative reporter for The New York Times
* Barney Calame (ΒΘΠ), Public Editor, New York Times
* Hal Call, pioneering LGBT rights activist and gay publisher/pornographer
* Jeffery Deaver (BJ 1972), author of the Lincoln Rhyme series
* Lewis Diuguid (BJ 1977); author and journalist
* Clarence Faulk (BJ c. 1931), publisher of Ruston Daily Leader and founder of radio station KRUS
* Pat Forde, Yahoo Sports columnist
* Jay Greenberg, sports journalist and winner of the Elmer Ferguson Memorial Award
* William Least Heat-Moon (BA 1961, MA 1962, PhD 1973, BJ 1978, ΤΚΕ), author
* Rebecca Johns (BA 1993, BJ 1993), author
* James J. Kilpatrick (BJ 1941), conservative columnist
* Ah Jook Ku (1935), former Associated Press correspondent, first Asian American female reporter for Honolulu Star-Bulletin
* Mildred Celia Letton (BA 1932, MA 1935), writer
* Harris Merton Lyon, short-story writer
* Marijane Meaker (BA 1949 ΑΔΠ), novelist
* Thomas Franklin Fairfax Millard (ΒΘΠ), journalist and newspaper editor
* Pamela Morsi, author
* Suniti Namjoshi, writer
* Ken Paulson, editor, USA Today
* Marjorie Paxson, influential women's page editor
* Doc Quigg, journalist for United Press International
* Ben Robertson (1926), WW II war correspondent, New York Herald Tribune; author
* James Rollins, aka James Czajkowski, author of bestselling Sigma Force series
* Ram Subhag Singh, Indian politician, first Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha
* Edgar Snow (ΒΘΠ), main Western journalist in Mao's China
* Lee Strobel (BJ 1974), journalist and author of The Case for Christ series
* George Woodward Warder (BA circa 1866), poet and author
* Lonnie Wheeler, sportswriter and author; worked for The Cincinnati Enquirer and The Cincinnati Post
* John Edward Williams (PHD 1954), recipient of National Book Award, author of Stoner and Augustus
* Tennessee Williams (ΑΤΩ), playwright, The Glass Menagerie, A Streetcar Named Desire, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof
* Grace Steele Woodward, writer and historian

## Military

* Huda Salih Mahdi Ammash (1970), member of Regional Command of the Arab Socialist Ba'ath Party – Iraq Region, chemical weapons expert
* Marcus B. Bell, U.S. Army brigadier general
* Gen. Fred F. Castle Jr. (1970 and 1977), Vietnam War and Gulf War
* Major General Roger E. Combs (1968 and 1975), Assistant Adjutant General-Air Missouri National Guard, Director of Strategic Plans and Policy (J-5), National Guard Bureau
* Gen. Enoch Crowder (1886, ΒΘΠ), Spanish–American War, Philippine–American War, World War I general
* Lt General Mark A. Ediger (1978), Surgeon General of Air Force
* Lieutenant General Charles D. Franklin (1953), commander of First United States Army from 1984 to 1987
* Brigadeführer Gustav Lombard (1913), Nazi Waffen SS, held commands in first 8th SS Cavalry Division Florian Geyer and later 31st SS Volunteer Grenadier Division, awarded Knight's Cross of Iron Cross
* Colonel Arthur D. Simons (1941), distinguished service in World War II, Korean War, and Vietnam War; ranger patriarch; leader of Son Tay Raid
* Rear Admiral Kelly E. Taggart (1955), second Director of National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Commissioned Officer Corps
* Lieutenant Stephen W. Thompson, first person in US military history to shoot down an enemy aircraft
* Colonel F. D. Wickham (1893, ΒΘΠ), Spanish–American War, Philippine–American War, World War I; helped found Kappa Kappa Psi band fraternity at Oklahoma A&M College

## Politics and government

* Huda Salih Mahdi Ammash (PHD 1983), Iraqi scientist and microbiologist; former member of Iraq's Revolutionary Command Council
* Emily Newell Blair, writer, suffragist, national Democratic Party political leader, co-founder of the League of Women Voters, feminist
* Russ Carnahan (BS 1979, JD 1983, KA), U.S. congressman
* Paul Coverdell (ΦΚΨ), former U.S. senator (GA); died 2000
* William S. Cowherd (1881, ΒΘΠ), mayor of Kansas City, Missouri 1892–1893 and U.S. Congressman from Missouri 1897–1905
* William B. Cravens (1893, ΒΘΠ), former U.S. representative from Missouri
* Thomas T. Crittenden Jr. (1882, ΒΘΠ), former mayor of Kansas City, Missouri from 1908–1909
* Elgin English Crull (1930, Kappa Sigma), longest serving city manager of Dallas, Texas to date (1952–1966); city manager when Kennedy was assassinated
* Randy "Duke" Cunningham, former U.S. congressman from California who resigned in 2005 amid a massive bribery scandal
* Gen. Donald Dawson (1932, ΒΘΠ), a former aide to President Truman, Curator of the Truman Presidential Library
* Hon. Harsha de Silva (MA and PhD, 1993), Sri Lankan Member of Parliament
* James H. Faulkner, Alabama politician, newspaper publisher, and business leader
* Martin Frost (BJ 1964, ZBT), former U.S.congressman
* Nicole Galloway (master's degree in business administration), State Auditor of Missouri
* Jack Goodman (BA 1995, JD 1998), State senator, practicing attorney in Mount Vernon, MO
* Sam Graves (BS 1986, ΑΓΣ), U.S. congressman
* Bob F. Griffin (JD 1958), Speaker of Missouri House of Representatives for 15 years
* Jason Grill, Missouri House of Representatives (2006–2010)
* Chuck Gross (BA 1981, MPA 1982), Missouri State Senator
* Kate Hanley, née Keith (BA 1965, BS 1965, ΦΒΚ), Virginia politician
* Martin Heinrich (BS 1995), former U.S. congressman and current U.S. senator from New Mexico
* Jay Houghton, Republican member of the Missouri House of Representatives
* Kenny Hulshof (BA 1980, Farmhouse, Mystical 7), former U.S. congressman
* James P. Kem (1910, ΒΘΠ), United States Senate from Missouri, 1947 to 1953
* Jason Klumb (JD 1993), Regional administrator of the U.S. General Services Administration
* Rush Limbaugh Sr. (1914), Missouri House of Representatives, and patriarch of the Limbaugh family
* Jon Lindgren, Mayor of Fargo, North Dakota, 1978–1994; pioneering LGBT supporter
* Jerry Lon Litton (B.S. Journalism 1961, ΑΓΡ), U.S. representative from Missouri's 6th Congressional District (1972–1976); killed in a plane crash after winning the 1976 Democratic nomination for U.S. senator from Missouri; favored to be the Democratic nominee for President; host of the TV show Dialogue with Litton
* Themba N. Masuku, acting Prime Minister of Eswatini
* Claire McCaskill (AB 1975, JD 1978, ΚΑΘ, QEBH), former Missouri state auditor and former senior U.S. Senator from Missouri
* Walter McCormick (BJ 1976; JD 1979; ΑΤΩ, ΟΔΚ, Mystical 7), President and CEO of United States Telecom Association; former general counsel of U.S. Department of Transportation; U.S. Senate Commerce Committee
* Morgan McGarvey, U.S. Representative from Kentucky
* James B. Potter Jr., Los Angeles City Council member, 1963–71
* Clarke Reed, Mississippi state Republican chairman, 1966 to 1976; instrumental in the nomination of Gerald R. Ford, at the 1976 Republican National Convention in Kansas City; Greenville, Mississippi businessman
* Jody Richards, Kentucky House of Representatives and former speaker of the Kentucky House of Representatives
* Charles Griffith Ross, press secretary for President Harry S. Truman
* Thomas L. Rubey (1885, ΒΘΠ), former U.S. representative from Missouri
* Sally Shelton-Colby, Ambassador to Grenada and Barbados 1979–1981
* Tom Shively, Missouri House of Representatives
* Ram Subhag Singh, Indian politician and the first Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha
* Ike Skelton (AB 1953, JD 1956, ΣΧ, ΦΒΚ, QEBH), former U.S. congressman; former chairman of the House Armed Services Committee
* Brian Treece, Mayor of Columbia, Missouri
* Carl M. Vogel, member of both houses of the Missouri State Legislature; from Jefferson City

### Governors

* James T. Blair Jr., Missouri governor 1957–61
* Mel Carnahan, Missouri governor 1993–2000, only person elected U.S. senator posthumously
* John M. Dalton (ΦΓΔ), Missouri governor 1961–65
* Forrest C. Donnell (ΚΣ, ΦΔΦ, ΦΒΚ, ΘΚΝ, QEBH), Missouri governor 1945–51
* Warren E. Hearnes (QEBH), Missouri governor 1965–73, namesake of Hearnes Center
* William Jayne, first governor of Dakota Territory
* Tim Kaine (QEBH), Governor of Virginia 2006–10, U.S. senator and 2016 Democratic vice presidential nominee
* Ted Kulongoski (undergraduate and law degrees), Governor of Oregon 2003–11
* Jay Nixon, Missouri governor 2009–17
* Guy B. Park (ΒΘΠ), Missouri governor 1933–37
* Roger B. Wilson, Missouri governor 2000–01

## Religion

* Edward N. Peters (JD, 1982), Catholic canonist and blogger

## Science and technology

* Huda Salih Mahdi Ammash (Ph.D. 1983), WMD scientist for Saddam Hussein, one of 55 most wanted Iraqis post-Coalition invasion
* William F. Baker (BS CiE '75), chief structural engineer of Burj Khalifa, world's tallest man-made structure
* Gerald J. Fishman (BS 1965, ΑΕΠ), research astrophysicist specializing in gamma-ray astronomy
* Linda Godwin (MS 1976, PhD 1980), NASA astronaut
* Nancy E. Goeken (PhD 1972), immunologist
* Susan Golden (Ph.D. 1983), National Academy of Sciences member and professor of Molecular Biology at University of California, San Diego
* Charles Claude Guthrie (MD 1901), physiologist and researcher
* Mary Jane Guthrie (BA 1916, MA 1918), zoologist and cancer researcher, also a University of Missouri faculty member
* Ernest Lenard Hall (BS EE 1965, MS 1966, PhD 1971), roboticist
* Hope Hibbard (undergraduate degree, 1916, MS 1918), biologist, cytologist, zoologist, and professor of zoology
* Thomas Jefferson Jackson See (BS 1889, valedictorian), controversial astronomer; critic; opponent of Einstein
* William Langston, founder and CEO of Parkinson's Institute and Clinical Center in Sunnyvale, California
* Richard N. Richards (BS ChE 1969, ΛΧΑ), NASA astronaut
* Frederick Chapman Robbins (M.D. 1954), Nobel Prize recipient, with John Enders and Thomas Weller for the cultivation of human viruses (Polio) in tissue culture
* Herschel Roman (PhD 1942), early pioneer in yeast genetics
* William C. Schwartz (MA 1951), physicist, laser pioneer, and founder of International Laser Systems
* Harlow Shapley (AB 1910, AM 1911), astronomer; used RR Lyrae stars to correctly estimate the size of the Milky Way Galaxy and the sun's position within it
* Larry Smarr (BA 1970, MS 1970), physicist; founding director of the National Center for Supercomputing Applications
* William Jasper Spillman (B.S. 1886, M.S. 1890), wheat geneticist, founder, agricultural economics
* Laura Sullivan-Beckers (PhD 2008), biologist
* Raymond E. Zirkle (B.A.1928; Ph.D. 1932), radiobiologist and principle of the Manhattan Project

## Sports
### Baseball

* Joe Bennett, MLB player
* Phil Bradley (Mystical 7), former MLB player, also played football
* Skip Caray, former broadcaster for Atlanta Braves; son of Harry Caray
* Jeff Cornell, former MLB pitcher
* Aaron Crow, MLB pitcher
* John Dettmer, former MLB pitcher
* David Freese, former MLB third baseman-first baseman, 2011 NLCS and World Series MVP and Babe Ruth Award winner for St. Louis Cardinals
* Kyle Gibson, MLB All-Star pitcher for Philadelphia Phillies
* Ian Kinsler, former All-Star MLB second baseman
* Tim Laudner, former MLB catcher
* Reggie McClain, MLB pitcher for the Seattle Mariners
* Dave Otto, former MLB pitcher
* Max Scherzer, MLB All-Star pitcher for Los Angeles Dodgers, 3-time Cy Young Award winner (2013, 2016, 2017)
* Jerry Schoonmaker, former MLB outfielder, also played football
* Art Shamsky, former MLB outfielder and Israel Baseball League manager
* Mike Shannon (attended), MLB infielder for St. Louis Cardinals, 2-time World Series champion and broadcaster
* Sonny Siebert, former MLB pitcher, 2-time All-Star
* Dave Silvestri, former MLB infielder
* Gene Stephenson, former Wichita State University baseball head coach, also played football
* Nick Tepesch, pitcher for Texas Rangers
* Jayce Tingler, manager for San Diego Padres

### Basketball

* Jabari Brown, CBA player for Foshan Dralions
* John Brown, former NBA player for Atlanta Hawks, Chicago Bulls
* DeMarre Carroll, former NBA player for San Antonio Spurs
* Jordan Clarkson, current NBA player for Utah Jazz
* Sophie Cunningham, current WNBA player for Phoenix Mercury and current WNBL player for Melbourne Boomers
* Marcus Denmon, TBL player for Istanbul BB
* Keyon Dooling, former NBA player for Boston Celtics
* Larry Drew, former NBA player, former head coach for Atlanta Hawks and Milwaukee Bucks
* Al Eberhard, former NBA player for Detroit Pistons
* Kim English, former NBA player
* JaKeenan Gant, player for Hapoel Be'er Sheva of the Israeli Basketball Premier League
* Thomas Gardner, former NBA player for Atlanta Hawks
* Linas Kleiza, former NBA player
* Gary Leonard, former NBA player
* Anthony Peeler, former NBA player for Los Angeles Lakers
* Michael Porter Jr., current NBA player for Denver Nuggets
* Phil Pressey, former NBA player for Boston Celtics
* Kareem Rush, former NBA player for Los Angeles Clippers
* Doug Smith, former NBA player
* Dru Smith, current NBA player for the Brooklyn Nets
* Norm Stewart (BA 1956, ΒΘΠ, Mystical 7), All-American and former head coach at Northern Iowa (1961–67) and Mizzou (1967–99)
* Steve Stipanovich, former NBA player
* Tyler Stone (born 1991), basketball player in the Israeli Basketball Premier League
* Jon Sundvold, former NBA player for San Antonio Spurs, Miami Heat

### Football

* Bud Abell, former American Football League player for the Kansas City Chiefs
* Danario Alexander, former NFL player for San Diego Chargers
* Russ Ball, executive with Green Bay Packers
* Gary Barnett (1969, ΒΘΠ), former head football coach at Northwestern and Colorado
* Dwayne Blakley, former NFL tight end
* Nick Bolton, NFL player for the Kansas City Chiefs
* Justin Britt, offensive lineman for Seattle Seahawks
* Charlie Brown, NFL player for New Orleans Saints
* Colin Brown, NFL player for Buffalo Bills
* Lloyd Carr (ΚΣ), former head coach University of Michigan
* Byron Chamberlain, former NFL player
* Paul Christman (ΚΣ), College Football Hall of Famer, former NFL player and broadcaster
* Chase Coffman, NFL player, John Mackey Award winner
* DeMontie Cross, assistant coach with Wisconsin Badgers
* Sean Culkin, NFL player
* Chase Daniel, NFL player for Chicago Bears
* Robert Delpino, former NFL player
* Kony Ealy, defensive lineman for New York Jets
* Brad Edelman, former NFL player
* Atiyyah Ellison, NFL player for Kansas City Chiefs
* Don Faurot (1924 Farmhouse, Mystical 7), MU coach and player
* Ron Fellows, former NFL player
* Will Franklin, former NFL player
* Blaine Gabbert, NFL player for Arizona Cardinals
* Andrew Gachkar, NFL player with San Diego Chargers
* Justin Gage, former NFL player
* E.J. Gaines, NFL player for Los Angeles Rams
* Tony Galbreath, former NFL player
* Markus Golden, NFL player for Arizona Cardinals
* Mel Gray (Mystical 7), former NFL player
* Dorial Green-Beckham, NFL player for Tennessee Titans
* Ziggy Hood, NFL player for Jacksonville Jaguars
* Harry Ice (ΒΘΠ), MVP of the 1942 Sugar Bowl, a longtime member of the athletic department
* Brad Imes, football player; appeared on The Ultimate Fighter 2, retired professional mixed martial arts fighter
* Jim Jennings, former NFL player
* Mike Jones, former NFL player
* Henry Josey, former NFL player
* Jim Kekeris, former NFL player
* Jim Leavitt, former head coach of University of South Florida
* Leo Lewis, former NFL player
* Drew Lock, NFL player for Denver Broncos
* Rick Lyle, former NFL player
* Bill McCartney, former head coach at University of Colorado
* Jeremy Maclin, NFL player for Kansas City Chiefs
* Henry Marshall, former NFL player
* Steve Martin, former NFL player
* John Matuszak, former NFL player for Oakland Raiders
* Ron McBride, former NFL player
* Erik McMillan, former NFL player
* William Moore, NFL player for Atlanta Falcons
* Mitch Morse, NFL player for Kansas City Chiefs
* C. J. Mosley, NFL player for Cleveland Browns
* Damien Nash, former NFL player
* Brock Olivo, former NFL player
* Gus Otto (ΒΘΠ), former NFL player
* Francis Peay, former NFL player
* Kurt Petersen, former NFL player
* Johnnie Poe, former NFL player
* Shane Ray, NFL player for Denver Broncos
* Howard Richards (Kappa Alpha Psi), former NFL player, Dallas Cowboys
* Johnny Roland (Kappa Alpha Psi), former NFL coach and player
* Martin Rucker, NFL player for Philadelphia Eagles
* Andy Russell, former NFL player
* Jerome Sally, former NFL player
* Michael Sam, former NFL player for St. Louis Rams, first openly gay player in NFL
* George Seals, former NFL player
* Aldon Smith, NFL player for San Francisco 49ers
* Brad Smith, NFL player for Philadelphia Eagles
* Justin Smith, NFL player for San Francisco 49ers
* Otis Smith, former NFL player
* Ray Smith, NFL player
* David Smukler, NFL player
* Hugh Sprinkle, NFL player
* Stryker Sulak, NFL player for Green Bay Packers
* Morris Towns, former NFL player
* Bruce Van Dyke, former NFL player
* L'Damian Washington, wide receiver for San Francisco 49ers
* Russ Washington, former NFL player
* Sean Weatherspoon, NFL player for Atlanta Falcons
* Roger Wehrli, seven-time Pro Bowl NFL player in Pro Football Hall of Fame
* Bill Whitaker, former NFL player
* James Wilder Sr., former NFL player
* Kellen Winslow, college and Pro Football Hall of Fame player
* Eric Wright, former NFL player

### Wrestling

* Ben Askren, two-time NCAA wrestling champion (2006,2007); 2008 Olympian; retired MMA fighter; former Bellator Welterweight Champion
* Evan Bourne, professional wrestler
* Michael Chandler, 2009 NCAA Wrestling All-American (5th place, 157 lbs.), former Bellator Lightweight Champion
* J'den Cox, three-time NCAA champion wrestler, 2016 Olympic bronze medalist in 86 kg weight class
* Sammie Henson, two-time NCAA wrestling champion; 1998 world freestyle champion; 2000 Olympic silver medalist; 2006 world bronze medalist at age 36
* J. P. Reese, two-time NCAA wrestling championships qualifier (2002 and 2003); MMA fighter
* Gene Snitsky, professional wrestler
* Mike Whitehead (attended), three-time All-American wrestler; MMA fighter
* Tyron Woodley, two-time NCAA Division I All-American wrestler; mixed martial artist in welterweight division, champion for Ultimate Fighting Championship

### Other sports

* Dick Ault, Olympic hurdler
* Christian Cantwell, shot putter, 2004 IAAF World Indoor Champion, 2008 Olympic silver medalist, 2009 IAAF World Outdoor Champion
* Carl Edwards, NASCAR driver and 2007 Busch Series champion (attended but did not graduate)
* Ross Miner (born 1991), skating coach and retired competitive figure skater
* Derrick Peterson (ΑΚΛ), professional runner, 2004 Olympian
* Karissa Schweizer, runner, seven-time NCAA National Champion
* Chelsea Thomas, softball player, SEC Pitcher of the Year

## Other

* Thomas Doty, Continental Airlines Flight 11 suicide bomber